Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) and associated factors among healthy populations: The design of the PROGRESS (PRevalence of Oral hpv infection, a Global aSSessment) study.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancers are increasingly associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Previous studies of oral HPV indicate considerable heterogeneity across geographic regions and by sex, but studies differ in methodologies used and risk groups included. Understanding the natural history of oral HPV in the general population is important to assess HPV-related disease burden and plan effective prevention programs. In this study, we aim to assess the prevalence, incidence, and persistence of oral HPV among adult men and women. Factors independently associated with oral HPV will also be evaluated. METHODS: The PROGRESS (PRevalence of Oral hpv infection, a Global aSSessment) study is a non-interventional study of 7877 healthy men and women aged 18-60 years, from France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). Oral HPV prevalence will be measured using a commercially available PCR DNA test. In the US, participants will be followed prospectively every 6 months for 24 months to assess incidence, clearance, and persistence of oral HPV infection. Eligible individuals presenting for regular dental check-ups will be recruited from participating dental offices via systematic consecutive sampling. Participant dentists will collect clinical characteristics, and participants will complete self-reported study questionnaires and provide an oral rinse and gargle (ORG) specimen for HPV-DNA detection and genotyping at each study visit. HPV-DNA detection and genotyping will be performed in two reference laboratories, using the SPF10/DEIA/LiPA25 system. DISCUSSION: PROGRESS study aims to fill knowledge gaps concerning the natural history of oral HPV using a standardized methodology. PROGRESS will also assess factors associated with oral HPV prevalence and natural history in the general population.

Burden of genital warts in Colombia: an observational study / Carga das verrugas genitais na Colômbia: um estudo observacional

Introduction: Genital warts are benign lesions caused by sexual transmission of human papillomavirus types 6 and 11, with significant impact on healthcare resource use and patients' quality of life. Objective: To describe the epidemiology of genital warts in adults visiting a physician office for any reason, physician practice patterns, and healthcare resource use and costs in Colombia. Methods: Participants were a convenience sample of 53 physicians in 5 specialties: primary care (15), gynecology (24), urology (12), proctology (1), and dermatology (1). Physicians completed a survey and daily log of all patients 18-60 years old seen over 10 days in their practices in 2016-2017. The physician survey recorded genital warts consultation and management patterns. The daily log recorded patient demographic information and genital warts diagnosis. Results: Among 6,393 patients logged by physicians, the genital warts prevalence was 2.03% (95%CI 1.69­2.38) and incidence 1.30% (95%CI 1.02­1.58). Primary care physicians referred most of their genital warts cases for treatment (female: mean 63.3%, SD=44.8; male: mean 58.3%, SD=43.8). Treatment of non-resistant episodes (<6-month duration) lasted an average of 37.4 days (SD=29.4) and required an average of 4.0 (SD=1.9) office visits for females and 3.0 (SD=1.7) for males. The overall mean cost of an episode of care was USD558.13 (SD=507.30). Conclusion: Genital warts cases reported by most participant physicians were mainly direct-consult, but patients were typically treated by specialists. Much of the genital warts health care utilization and costs reported could be prevented by immunization with the quadrivalent or nonavalent HPV vaccine.

Introdução: As verrugas genitais são lesões benignas, de transmissão sexual, causadas pelo papilomavírus humano tipos 6 e 11 e que causam impacto significativo no uso de recursos de saúde e na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Objetivo: Descrever a epidemiologia das verrugas genitais em adultos que buscaram atendimento médico ambulatorial por qualquer motivo, incluindo padrões de prática médica, uso de recursos de saúde e custos na Colômbia. Métodos: foi utilizada uma amostra de conveniência composta por 53 médicos em 5 especialidades: clínico geral (15), ginecologia (24), urologia (12), proctologia (1) e dermatologia (1). Os médicos completaram um questionário e registros diários de todos os pacientes com idade entre 18 e 60 anos atendidos durante 10 dias em seus consultórios em 2016-2017. O questionário registrou os padrões de prática médica e de tratamento de verrugas genitais. Os registros diários continham informações demográficas do paciente e o diagnóstico de verrugas genitais. Resultados: Entre 6.393 atendimentos médicos, a prevalência das verrugas genitais foi de 2,03% (IC95% 1,69­2,38) e a incidência de 1,30% (IC95% 1,02­1,58). Os clínicos gerais encaminharam a maioria dos pacientes com verrugas genitais para tratamento (mulheres: média de 63,3%, DP=44,8; homens: média de 58,3%, DP=43,8). O tratamento dos casos não-persistentes (<6 meses de duração) durou em média 37,4 dias (DP=29,4) e requereu uma média de 4,0 (DP=1,9) consultas para mulheres e 3,0 (DP=1,7) para homens. O custo médio geral do tratamento foi de US$ 558,13 (SD=507,30). Conclusão: Os casos de verrugas genitais relatados pela maioria dos médicos participantes derivaram-se principalmente de atendimentos primários e os pacientes foram tratados geralmente por especialistas. Grande parte da utilização de recursos e custos relacionados a verrugas genitais poderia ser evitada pela imunização com a vacina papilomavírus humano 4-valente ou 9-valente.

Factors that affect willingness to donate blood for the purpose of biospecimen research in the Korean American community.

OBJECTIVE: Biorepositories have been key resources in examining genetically-linked diseases, particularly cancer. Asian Americans contribute to biorepositories at lower rates than other racial groups, but the reasons for this are unclear. We hypothesized that attitudes toward biospecimen research mediate the relationship between demographic and healthcare access factors, and willingness to donate blood for research purposes among individuals of Korean heritage. METHODS: Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were utilized to characterize the sample with respect to demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral variables. Structural equation modeling with 5000 re-sample bootstrapping was used to assess each component of the proposed simple mediation models. RESULTS: Attitudes towards biospecimen research fully mediate associations between age, income, number of years lived in the United States, and having a regular physician and willingness to donate blood for the purpose of research. CONCLUSION: Participants were willing to donate blood for the purpose of research despite having neutral feelings towards biospecimen research as a whole. Participants reported higher willingness to donate blood for research purposes when they were older, had lived in the United States longer, had higher income, and had a regular doctor that they visited. Many of the significant relationships between demographic and health care access factors, attitudes towards biospecimen research, and willingness to donate blood for the purpose of research may be explained by the extent of acculturation of the participants in the United States.